Ok – I’m crowdsourcing the internet, because the google has failed: there are two science fiction short stories that I need titles and authors for, source in anthology or collection would be better still. 1) humans in slower-than-light spaceship set out to colonize planet identified around nearby star. When they finally get there, they find…

On the purity of science careers; the waste of civilization and other assorted snippets… and a happy Feast of St Nikolaus The Rise of the Science Politician – Matt B. continues provocative Conversations. There is an interesting thread on this on The Astronomers fb. On The Inevitability of Kardashev Civilizations – the Astro Wright continues…

Continued slow liveblog of the New Frontiers in Astronomy and Cosmology Conference at the Franklin Institute. Lunch is almost over and we are headed into the final session of research presentations, clearly saving the best for last… I am also reminded why we have these meetings, in person, the chats during break and back and…

In which we win an award from the New Frontiers in Astronomy Program. The New Frontiers in Astronomy and Cosmology program announced its research grant award winners yesterday. The last, but not least of the Big Questions solicited in the Call for Proposals, was: Are we alone in the universe? Or, are there other life…